Austrian black pine pre bonsai

[Maloghurst]

Hello, I just bought a $6.00 Austrian black pine so I was curious about the how to treat pre bonsai? I understand deciduous process but not as much about coniferous. I understand to thicken the trunk i need to let it grow but I don't the want whorls that are common in this breed to create inverse taper. The trunk looks ok but there is a big bunch of branches at the top that will need to go eventually. Should I just keep the lower branches in check and allow the top to grow unchecked?
I was curious how they treat pines at say a bonsai nursery as they grow? Thank you, Mike

 

[Maloghurst]

Pics! The pines I found are only $6.00 with a 1"trunk and bursting out of a 1gallon pot.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Good trees. Beware one thing with these: Where branch whorl exists will develop lump in trunk unless reducing to single keeper branch while very young tree. Should be OK to keep sacrifice branch(s). Potting medium looks good. For now could keep one top branch to develop trunk or could cut off and choose low branch for change of direction and begin work on it. Rest of branches above one(s) to be used only remove a few at a time to not shock tree to death. Suggest keep strongest leader in top and remove rest very top upper branches and begin work down low when is safe time to first wire. If just repotted please wait for spring just before first growth.

 

[Maloghurst]

Thank you I believe my question is answered.

 

[Mihai]

Heyya, Actually I have the predicament you mentioned Maloghurst ...
Bought a black pine that has the whorls you spoke about. Any way of correcting it?

 

[AlainK]

What we look for is a nice "nebari".

I don't know about Austrian black pines, but I suspect they can be trained like Japanese black pines, and most pines actually.

So, since to me "bonsai" is not an immediate art, I would plan on 5 to 7 years and cut either above the first branch on the left (2), or the second one, on the right (1).

The growth next year will be very strong, then, again select only two branches, or three if you want a very tall sacrifice branch to develop to fatten the trunk. In any case, I'd chop the trunk very low.

 

[Adair M]

Austrian Black Pines are single flush pines like Scots, Mugo, and Japanese White Pine.

Do not treat them like Japanese Black Pines, which are double flush.

The "Black" in their names does not mean they are similiar.

 

[Maloghurst]

Heyya, Actually I have the predicament you mentioned Maloghurst ...
Bought a black pine that has the whorls you spoke about. Any way of correcting it?

Not really any way of correcting it except for trunk chopping below the big whorl and starting a new leader. Or if The whorls branches are small enough and hasn't created inverse taper yet(like the lowest branches of mine pictured). You can then cut all branches except one to keep and that should prevent the "ball" from forming.